


The Fatherhood Chronicles - The Great Escape

by Aragarna



Series: The Fatherhood Chronicles [9]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Family, Family Fluff, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 07:32:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3683529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aragarna/pseuds/Aragarna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal has deserted his crib.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fatherhood Chronicles - The Great Escape

**Author's Note:**

> Note that from now on, the Chronicles might not appear in a chronological order, as they'll follow inspiration and prompts.

“Hon, would you go get Neal? He should be awake by now,” Elizabeth called from the patio, where she was having tea with Mozzie and Neal (the grown-up one).

“In a minute!” Peter said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

This was a crucial moment. There were 10 very short minutes left and the game was a tie between the Rangers and the Blackhawks. After a penalty that gave the Blackhawks power play, the Rangers were back at five players on the ice, and they owned the puck. They were entering their adversary’s defensive zone…

“Peter!”

Peter startled and jumped to his feet. “I’m on it! I’m going!” he shot, while still glued to the game.

Two minutes to go. He was holding his breath. Finally, 20 seconds before the time, the Rangers scored. Peter let go a big sigh of relief. That had been an intensive game.

He quickly turned off the TV and hurried upstairs, glancing at the patio, to see if El was looking at him. He could just picture her stern look. In a couple strides, he was in Neal’s room. He switched on the night light and walked to the crib to get his son. His heart stopped.

The crib was empty.

Peter blinked. “Neal?” he called, looking around for his son. As Neal was nowhere in sight, Peter felt anxiety rise and his heartbeat escaladed.

Peter took out the blanket completely. He even checked under the mattress for good measure, and under the crib. No sign of Neal.

“Neal?” he repeated. “What are doing? This isn’t funny. Where are you?”

Peter stood back up and put his hands on his hips, looking intensely at the little bed. How could this have happened? How in the world, a one year old boy could have escaped from his crib? He was barely walking, he couldn’t have climbed over the bars, could he? And he sure was too big to pass through those bars.

Peter checked that they were all in place and solidly attached. Definitely, Neal couldn’t have slipped through.

Yet, the little guy had to be somewhere. Peter started checking all the corners of the room, behind the door, under each piece of furniture, inside the closet, in the toy box, between the stack of teddy bears.

No Neal. The room was empty.

Elizabeth was going to kill him.

He ran to their bedroom, then the bathroom, he checked all the spaces and secret corners of the second floor. Still not finding Neal, Peter felt his panic spike, as new thoughts assaulted him. Had someone broken into the house and taken their son?

He sure would have seen someone going up the stairs. He checked the windows. They were all properly closed. But were they, before?

Terribly worried, he ran down the stairs. “El, I can’t find –“

He stopped dead, half way through the stairs, as he caught sight of Mozzie, sitting on the sofa, and holding Neal on his knees. Elizabeth and Neal Caffrey were sitting next to them and all four looked up cheerfully at Peter when he appeared in the staircase.

In shock, Peter remained frozen, dumbfounded.

“Hey, Hon,” El said happily. “Where have you been?”

“I – huh. I was looking for my son.”

Regaining his composure, Peter shot Mozzie an accusatory look. “Why – How didn’t I see you on my way upstairs?”

Mozzie plastered his most innocent smile, and, ignoring the question, returned his attention to Neal, who gave him a large smile.

To be Continued...


End file.
